1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to waterfowl decoys used by hunters. More specifically, this invention relates to a shell-type waterfowl decoy that cooperatively employs a variably-weighted flotation device. Known relevant prior art may be found in U.S. Class 43 and the various subclasses thereunder.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, decoys are commonly employed by waterfowl hunters. Decoys are used to lure game close enough for the hunter to shoot it. Decoys are commonly placed in feeding or resting positions to attract hungry or tired game. Waterfowl hunters generally place their decoys either in the water or upon the land adjacent to the water.
Conventional, land-placed waterfowl decoys may be generally categorized as silhouettes, windsocks, full-body or shell types. Silhouette decoys typically present the appearance of a bird when viewed from overhead. However, because silhouette decoys are generally two-dimensional, the circling game does not consistently see the same view when approaching. Since the goal of a decoy is to simulate real game, silhouette decoys often fail to attract alert animals.
Windsock decoys are often used on land during windy conditions. These decoys move in the wind, looking like real birds. However, windsocks are adversely affected if the wind is variable or if they get wet. They often get wet when they are placed over water because they droop during calm wind conditions.
Shell decoys present the outer appearance of a duck from the top and sides. However, unlike full-body decoys, the bottom of a shell decoy is typically open. Shell decoys are generally easy to transport and store because they often are stackable. In other words, shell decoys can often be stacked upon one another and compressed.
Full-body decoys are either carved from wood or molded from plastic. Plastic decoys typically have hollow interiors. Full-body decoys work well on water or land. However, full-body decoys suffer from several inherent disadvantages. They are bulky and cumbersome compared to the other types of decoys, making them more difficult to transport and store. They are also more expensive to manufacture and produce than silhouette or shell decoys.
However, of the above types of decoys, only full-body decoys are commonly used in the water. This is because decoys used in the water must float upon or be supported above the water. Known windsock, shell and silhouette decoys must be supported above the water while conventional full-body decoys float upon the water. Floating full-body decoys have traditionally performed better than the other types of decoys because they bob up and down in the water like real birds.
In addition to the inherent problems with full-body decoys, they also generally all float at the same level in the water. But, flocks of real birds do not float at the same level in the water. In other words, some birds float higher in the water while some birds float deeper in the water.
Thus, it would be desirable to replace full-body decoys with either a silhouette or a shell decoy that floated on the water. In particular, a shell decoy would improve the cost efficiency of the manufacturing process and the storage capacity of most hunters while withstanding the rigors associated with hunting in the water. A shell decoy that permitted compact stacking of several decoys to simplify transportation and storage would also be desirable.
An ideal decoy would also permit the hunter to vary the flotation level of an individual decoy. This would permit the hunter to selectively float several decoys at different levels in the water, giving the flock of decoys a more natural appearance.